Training in Organic Farming – Online + On-farm!

The Organic Farming Institute of British Columbia (ofibc.org) offers first-rate training in organic farming. Unique in Canada, OFIBC training is designed to meet the needs of farmers. Courses are a combination of rich and varied online learning built around in-depth training on working organic farms. The Similkameen Valley is the perfect place for an organic farming training centre. It has the highest concentration of organic farms in Canada.

Jacques was the lead designer and developer (using Articulate Studio and Moodle) of OFIBC’s first 3 courses on Organic Soil Management, Transitioning to Organic Methods and Organic Vegetable Production, working closely with Lee McFadyen, long-time organic farmer in the Similkameen Valley and key contributor to provincial and national organic certification standards. These courses were quite a challenge to develop, but our mission was to make this knowledge available to farmers in the most efficient and dynamic way possible.

The online parts of the courses include varied interactive activities, knowledge and practical assignments, collaboration with other students, wikis, databases of additional resources, video demonstrations, and online support from an expert instructor. For a small sample of an interactive activity, click HERE. There are also sample materials available on the OFIBC Moodle site HERE.

In collaboration with colleagues at 7th Floor Media and also with Lee McFadyen, Graham Gore (first chair of the OFIBC board) and Michael McLaughlin (former EDO in the Similkameen Valley), I also worked some years ago on the creation and launch of OFIBC. We organized and co-facilitated the kick-off focus group where 35 community leaders selected an Organic Farming Institute as a winning strategy for using rural broadband capacity for education and sustainable economic development in the Similkameen Valley, co-authored the OFIBC strategic plan and Business Plan, and toiled in fundraising to get the OFIBC off the ground.

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Comments

Ramji Prasad Bhattarai September 15, 2009 at 7:29 am

I am ramji Prasad Bhattarai form Nepal and very interested for taking training in organic farming.

Thanks you

Ramji Prasad Bhattarai
Phujel-5
Gorkha District
Neapl

admin September 15, 2009 at 9:48 am

Thanks for your interest, Ramji! I will be in touch via email to discuss this with you.

lisette jean mc dally September 22, 2009 at 6:17 am

every food that we eat should come from Organic Farming. i really get scared about those toxins coming from chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides. it is a wise idea to go back on organically grown foods because chemical toxins will definitely give you cancer. I only eat foods which are certified that they are organically grown

admin October 7, 2009 at 9:46 am

Trying to eat only organic as you are doing is a good personal principle to follow. It’s one way to at least reduce the amount of exposure we get to those synthetic chemicals that are harmful. Not all of them are harmful, of course, but it is estimated that only about 10% or so of the synthetic chemicals out there have been tested for their harmful effects.

Organic farming methods offer several benefits for the environment and human health as a whole, but unfortunately, there are many misconceptions and falsehoods being spread regarding organic food and farming methods, both by proponents and detractors. Here are the facts about what organic methods can do for us and what they can’t.

Rory Beattie March 16, 2010 at 9:47 am

Dear respected sir/madam
I am Rajendra prasad Devkota and involving inorganic movement as authorized organic inspector under various reputed international certifier, I would like to do something for nepal and want to cooperation with your organization in near future.

Hey, I’m From Ontario Canada and hope to open a farm out in Alberta. I would love to learn how to do this first.

mamun August 25, 2011 at 9:31 pm

Dear Sir
With due respect, I would like to introduce myself as a Scientific Officer, on Farm Research Division, at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur, Bangladesh. I obtained my (B.Sc.Ag) and Masters from the Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh To develop my existing knowledge, I am very much interested to participate in the Training programme on organic farming” . Now i am working in Farming system research.
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) would provide permission and recommendation to attain this program. Please send me necessary information as I can apply for this program.
Therefore, it would be immense help if you kindly send me necessary information and clearance to participate in this training program at your earliest convenience.
I am looking forward to hearing from you
Best wishes to you and also your family.

Charis December 19, 2011 at 4:23 pm

I am interested in learning more about your online training.

D Adhikari January 2, 2012 at 7:32 am

Dear Sir,
I am very much interest to have organic agriculture training if possible. I have been involving in organic agriculture for more than 5 years in Nepal.
I am hoping your kind response

Thank you,

M.S,I.Polash June 6, 2013 at 12:47 pm

Dear Sir,

I am from Bangladesh & i want to start a organic farmer organization so I need to training about organic agriculture

I hope you understand that what i want to know so, please try to do something for me